Did the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown happen in 1989?

Yes, the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown occurred in 1989. The protests began in April 1989, centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square, and were largely led by students calling for political reform, greater democracy, and an end to corruption in China. The demonstrations grew to include hundreds of thousands of participants over the following weeks.

The Chinese government declared martial law, and on the night of June 3–4, 1989, the military moved in to clear the square and surrounding areas, using force against protesters. This crackdown resulted in a significant number of deaths, though the exact death toll remains disputed and is not officially disclosed by the Chinese government, with estimates ranging widely from several hundred to over a thousand.

The event remains heavily censored in China today, and public discussion or commemoration of it is largely suppressed within the country.